Padel rules

Official Padel Rules – International Federation of Padel (FIP)

Official padel rules – International Federation of Padel

RULE 1. PLAYER POSITION ON COURT

The game is played as doubles.

Players are positioned on the areas on both sides of the net. The server puts the ball into play and the receiver returns it.

The receiver may stand anywhere on their own side of the court. The same applies to the receiver’s partner and the server’s partner.

Players change sides when the number of games played is odd, for example 1, 3, 5 and so on.

RULE 2. CHOOSING COURT SIDE AND SERVE

The right to choose the court side and the right to serve in the first game are decided by a toss.

The pair that wins the toss can choose between the following options:

a) Whether they want to serve or receive, in which case the other pair chooses the court side.

b) Whether they want to choose the court side, in which case the other pair decides whether to serve or receive.

c) They may give the choice to the opponents.

RULE 3. SERVE

The serve must be made as follows:

a) The server must stand with both feet on their own side of the court behind the service line, in the area between the centre line and the side wall. The ball must travel over the net diagonally into the opponent’s service area and land inside the box or on the line. The first serve is made from the right side, then alternately from the left and right.

b) Before hitting the ball, the server must bounce it behind the service line, in the area between the centre line and the side wall.

d) During the serve, the server may not touch the service line with their foot or step into the area defined by the extension of the centre line, because the serve must be made diagonally.

e) During the serve, the player must hit the ball below hip height, and at least one foot must remain on the ground.

g) If the player misses the ball when trying to hit it, the serve is still considered to have been made.

h) If the serve is accidentally made from the wrong service box, the mistake must be corrected as soon as it is discovered. If one service fault had already been made, it still counts.

RULE 4. SERVICE FAULTS

The following situations are considered service faults:

a) If the server breaks the points of Rule 3.

c) If after the serve the ball bounces outside the receiver’s service area. Lines are considered part of the area, so if the ball touches the line, it is in.

d) If after the serve the ball hits the server’s partner.

e) Only on serve: if after the serve the ball bounces in the opponent’s service box and then touches the metal fence before the second bounce.

f) If after the serve the ball touches any wall on the server’s side of the court, even if it later goes over the net to the opponent’s side.

RULE 5. SERVING ORDER

The players who have the right to start serving in the first game of the set decide which partner starts serving.

After the first game is finished, the opposing pair starts serving, and this alternation continues throughout the set.

Once the serving order has been set, it cannot be changed before the next set begins.

At the beginning of each set, the serving pair again decides which player starts serving, and after that they serve alternately by games.

If there is a mistake in the serving order:

If a player serves in the wrong order, the player whose turn it actually was must start serving as soon as the mistake is discovered.

All points played before the mistake was discovered remain valid.

If only one service fault was made before the mistake was discovered, it is not counted.

If the game ends before the mistake is discovered, the incorrect serving order continues until the end of the set.

RULE 6. RETURN OF SERVE

a) The player receiving the serve must wait until the ball bounces in their service area and must hit the ball before the second bounce.

b) If the ball bounces twice in the service box, even after touching the back wall, the serve is considered correct and the point goes to the serving side.

When serving into the joint between the glass and the fence, the serve is considered correct only if after the bounce the ball continues towards the receiving player.

c) If the receiving player hits the ball before it bounces, they lose the point.

RULE 7. RETURN ORDER

The players receiving serve in the first game decide which of them receives the first serve. This order remains in place in every game until the end of the set.

The players alternate when receiving serve, and the agreed order may not be changed during the set. It may be changed at the beginning of the next set.

If the receiving order is broken during the game, play continues in the same order until the end of the game in which the mistake was discovered. In the following games, the original agreed order must be restored.

If the mistake is discovered at the moment when the wrong player receives the serve, the receiving pair loses the point.

RULE 8. NUMBER OF SERVES

The server has the right to a second serve if the first serve was not correct.

The second serve is made from the same side as the first serve and immediately after the first.

RULE 9. RECEIVER READINESS

The server may not serve before the receiver is ready.

If the receiver is not ready or does not try to return the ball, the server cannot claim the point, even if the serve was correct.

The receiver also cannot claim the point if the serve was incorrect but the receiver was not ready to play.

RULE 10. PLAYER TOUCHES THE SERVE

If the serve hits the receiver or the receiver’s partner, or if they touch the ball with the racket before it bounces, the server wins the point.

RULE 11. POINT REPLAY OR LET BALL

If the serve hits the receiver or the receiver’s partner, or if they touch the ball with the racket before it bounces, the server wins the point.

a) A let is called if during the serve the ball touches the net or net posts and then lands in the receiver’s service area, provided that it does not touch the metal fence before the second bounce.

b) A let is also called if, after touching the net or posts, the ball then hits one of the players or any part of their body.

c) If the let happens on the first serve, the serve is repeated. If the let happens on the second serve, the server has the right to only one additional serve.

RULE 12. INTERFERENCE

If a player is disturbed by something outside their control, except court installations or their partner, the point is replayed and a let is called.

If a player intentionally or unintentionally interferes with an opponent during play, then in the first case the point is awarded to the opponent, and in the second case a let is called if the interfering player won the point.

RULE 13. SCORING

Scoring is similar to tennis: 15–30–40–game.

If the score is 40–40, one pair must win two consecutive points to win the game:

The first point after deuce is called advantage.

If the pair with advantage wins the next point, they win the game.

If the pair with advantage loses the next point, the score returns to deuce, or 40–40.

The first pair to win 6 games with at least a two-game lead wins the set. At 5–5, two more games must be played until one pair wins 7–5. If the score is 6–6, the pair that achieves a two-game lead wins, unless a tie-break has been agreed beforehand.

RULE 14. TIE-BREAK

If agreed beforehand, a tie-break is played when the game score reaches 6–6. In the tie-break, the classic point system is used, counting points as 1, 2, 3 and so on, unlike a normal game where 15, 30 and 40 are used.

The tie-break is won by the first pair to reach 7 points with at least a two-point lead.

The first serve is made by the player whose turn to serve would normally be. That player serves one point from the right side of the court. After that, the serve moves to the opponents. Two serves are then made, starting from the left side of the court.

Players change sides after every 6 points.

The pair that wins the set with a tie-break wins the set 7–6. The next set is started by the pair that did not start serving in the tie-break.

RULE 15. BALL IN PLAY

The ball is in play from the moment it is served, except when it is out or a let is called, and remains in play until the point is decided.

The point ends when the ball:

– touches the opponents’ wall or metal fence directly, without first bouncing on the ground,

– bounces on the ground for the second time,

– after a correct shot, has bounced on the opponents’ side of the court and then bounces outside the court limits and then a second time.

A player may hit the ball so that it bounces on the opponents’ side of the court and leaves the court over the upper limits.

NOTE:

Players may leave the court and hit the ball, provided that the ball has not yet bounced for the second time. For this, the court must meet the following conditions:

a) There must be two central exits on both sides of the court.

b) The exit dimensions must be a maximum of 0.82 x 2 metres and a minimum of 0.72 x 2 metres.

c) There must be no physical obstacles outside the court sides for at least 2 metres in width, 4 metres in length and at least 2 metres above the net height.

If the ball crosses the net, bounces in the opponents’ court, leaves the court limits and returns into play after hitting an object outside the court, the point goes to the player who hit the ball, even if the opponent could have returned it.

If the ball crosses the net, bounces in the opponents’ court and then leaves the court limits through an opening or defect in the metal fence, or gets stuck there, the point is awarded to the player who hit the ball.

A player may hit the ball against their own wall or walls so that it flies over the net to the opponents’ side of the court, except on the serve.

A ball that bounces in the U-shaped corner formed by the wall and the ground is considered correct.

trajectory

spin

RULE 16. VOLLEY

Any player may hit a volley in any situation, except when returning the serve.

RULE 17. BALL THAT BOUNCES OFF AN OUTSIDE OBJECT

If, as a result of a player’s shot, the ball bounces off an outside object, such as lights or a roof, before crossing the net, the point goes to the opponents.

RULE 18. CORRECT RETURN

A return is correct:

a) If the ball touches the net or its posts, if they are located in the playing area, and then bounces in the opponents’ court.

b) If the ball bounces on the opponents’ side of the court, then bounces off the wall and returns to the side of the player who hit it, the player may hit it back, meaning the ball may be hit outside their own side of the court. This is allowed provided that their racket or clothing has not touched the net, net posts or opponents’ court.

c) If, because of the direction and force of the shot, the ball bounces in the opponents’ court and leaves the court limits or hits the roof, lights or another object that is not part of the court structure.

d) If the ball in play hits an object in the opponents’ court, such as another ball, players’ clothing or even a racket. The point is won by the player who made the shot.

e) If the ball bounces in the opponents’ court and then touches the metal fence or any wall. The opponent must return it before the ball bounces for the second time on their side of the court.

RULE 19. POINT LOSS

A team loses the point:

a) If one of the players, their racket or any object they are wearing or carrying touches any part of the net, including the posts and vertical centre post, or any part of the opponents’ court, including the metal fence, while the ball is in play.

b) If the ball bounces on the court for the second time before it is returned.

c) If the ball is volleyed back before it has crossed the net.

d) If a player hits the ball so that it directly hits the wall, metal fence or outside objects on the opponents’ side of the court.

e) If a player hits the ball, it touches the net or its posts and then does not bounce in the opponents’ court.

f) If a player hits the ball twice.

g) If the ball in play hits a player or anything they are wearing or carrying, except the racket.

h) If a player hits the ball and it touches the metal fence on their own side of the court.

i) If a player touches the ball with any part of their body.

j) If a player crosses over the net while the point is still in play.

k) Only one player may hit the ball. If both players in the pair hit the ball either at the same time or one after the other, the point goes to the opponents.

NOTE: A double hit is not considered to have happened if both players try to hit the ball at the same time but only one of them touches it, or if a player accidentally hits their partner’s racket.